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The NCEL Premier Division 2017-18

The NCEL Premier Division 2017-18

Andrew Marsh28 May 2017 - 15:26
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An annual look at the changes to the division this summer.

The FA Leagues Committee have approved the allocation of clubs in the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division and Division 1 for 2017-18. Promotion and relegation in non-league can often be decided by events off the field, making this a little bewildering for the recently converted non-league follower, but happily this looks not to be the case this time around. The line-up for next season is as follows, new teams (and our good selves!) in bold:

1. AFC Mansfield
2. Albion Sports
3. Athersley Recreation
4. Bottesford Town
5. Bridlington Town
6. Clipstone
7. Garforth Town
8. Goole AFC
9. Hall Road Rangers
10. Handsworth Parramore
11. Harrogate Railway
12. Hemsworth MW
13. Liversedge
14. Maltby Main
15. Parkgate
16. Penistone Church
17. Pickering Town
18. Pontefract Collieries
19. Rainworth MW
20. Staveley MW
21. Thackley
22. Worksop Town

This summer sees a like for like swap of teams at 'both ends' of the division, keeping the number of league fixtures next season at 42. As expected, Premier Division champions and FA Vase runners-up Cleethorpes Town have been promoted into the Evo-Stik League, being placed in the South Division. Relegation from the North Division sees the rare event of not one, but two sides going down. Bottom side Burscough drop down into the NWCFL, whilst 2nd-from-bottom Goole AFC return to the NCEL. The Vikings are arguably the most well-travelled of Division 1 clubs having competed in both North and South Divisions. It’s fair to say that North Division football has not treated them well however, both of their seasons there were spent fighting relegation, the other being back in 2012-13 when they survived at our expense. Similar to Harrogate Railway before them, they rejoin a division very different to the one they promoted from in 2005.

Bottom three sides Barton Town Old Boys, Armthorpe Welfare – after a remarkable stay of 32 years in the Premier Division – and Retford United are all relegated into Division 1, with three sides coming the other way. The first sees us swap one end of the Humber Bridge for the other as we visit Hull-based Division 1 champions Hall Road Rangers. This will not however mean a visit to Dene Park, where the last league meeting took place in our second spell of Division 1 football 13 years ago. Rangers were evicted from the Dunswell venue in 2015 forcing a move closer into town, to Haworth Park where much work was required to bring it up to NCEL standard. An excellent 2016-17 campaign where they racked up 96 points and were defeated only six times can be seen as just reward for their efforts. As for Dene Park, the ground has subsequently been home to former Division 1 club Hull United and now NCEL newcomers East Yorkshire Carnegie.

Runners-up Pontefract Collieries – still under the guidance of ex-Town goalkeeper Craig “Paz” Parry – return to the Premier Division after just one season away, replacing Hemsworth as our nearest neighbours. Completing the line-up is play-off winners Penistone Church. The Miners visited Church View Road a couple of times for pre-season friendlies in the Graham Nicholas era, but the two teams are yet to meet competitively.

All of the changes above are subject to ratification at the NCEL AGM in Scarborough on Saturday 17th June, when next season’s League Cup draw will also be made. The draws for the FA Cup and Vase are believed to be the first or second Friday in July with the Extra Preliminary Round pencilled in for the 5th August. Should Town be drawn in this round this will be the first fixture of the season, the FA once again acting against the wishes of clubs affected.

Garforth’s plans for 2017-18 are already underway, stay tuned to the website for news on new shirt and stadium sponsors, new kits and pre-season friendlies.

Up the Miners!

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